What a Marine Surveyor Needs to Know About Electric Arc Welding

Arc welding refers to a group of processes that use a power supply to create an electric arc between an electrode and the base material to melt the metals at the welding point.   

The process of manual arc welding is widely used because of its easy manipulation and its low capital and running costs, which also makes it ideal for use in ship and boat building.  In arc welding, the voltage is directly related to the length of the arc and the current is related to the amount of heat input.  Constant current power supplies are most often used for manual welding processes such as gas tungsten arc welding and shielded metal arc welding because they maintain a relatively constant current even as the voltage varies. 

The marine surveyor should have an understanding of what happens when the arc is struck. The electrode must first touch the piece to be welded. The causes a short circuit and, when the electrode is lifted slightly from the work piece, an electric arc is formed. 

The aim of this handy guide is not to transform the surveyor into a competent welder, but to give him/her a deeper understanding and appreciation of this vitally important activity.   

Electric Arc Welding runs to 76 pages.

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